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Hurricane Irma, the once Category 5 storm, has wreak havoc in the Caribbean, leaving at least 28 people dead across the region, according to Reuters. The storm left a trail of destruction, leaving many islands with damaged infrastructures and loss of water, food supplies, and power.
Hurricane Irma causing significant damages on the many islands across the region, including Cuba, Barbuda, Antigua, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
St. Thomas and St. John, two islands a part of the U.S Virgin Island took a major hit from Hurricane Irma, with many homes being ripped apart. According to CNBC, out of 52,000 that live on St. Thomas, 40,000 are homeless. Also, in an interview with CNBC, the Governor of the U.S Virgin Islands, Kenneth Mapp, also said that 90 percent of St. Thomas and 50 percent of St. John of the power lines are done. Although there may be worry from some islanders about access to food, clean water, and power, the governor has indicated in the interview that the islands are reaching out to get help, with him speaking to Trump twice and members of Trump’s Cabinet as well. According to Reuters, Trump did increased federal funding to assist U.S Virgin Islands.
“I am telling my citizens and my residents that this is going to be a long haul, but we are going to make it happen,” said Kenneth Mapp.
So far, The U.S Virgin Islands were assisted by three vessels from the US Navy, providing recovery and humanitarian assistance, according to the US Navy Institute’s website. The website also reported that more than 1,900 people were evacuated, as stated from the Pentagon.
Also, the US Virgin Islands delate to Congress, Stacey Plaskett, also reported that islands took a big hit with the only hospital in St. Thomas being crippled with the roof of the hospital being ripped off by the storm winds of the hurricane, as reported by USA Today. To help patients, Plaskett was working on evacuating them to St. Croix via helicopters. According to CNBC, The CEO of the hospital, Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas, stated that the patients in critical condition were airlifted to Croix and even in Puerto Rico.
St. Croix, the largest of the U.S Virgin Islands have faced power outages and downed tree but have faced less damage the St. Thomas and St. John. In fact, a student on campus from St. Croix, Shaquanee Fenton, a junior a Criminal Justice major and Psychology Minor, confirmed that there were numerous patients being airlifted to St. Croix.
Besides helping patients, St. Croix also assisted St. Thomas, in particular by proving resources to the island after the devastating hurricane. She stated that residents from St. Croix were providing packages of water to island affected; however, this negatively affected the island becasue as she mentioned with Hurricane Maria, St. Croix is low of the hurricane supplies as a result. With Hurricane Maria heading the islands’ way, she worries that the island won’t be prepared for the storm.
This territory of the United States is getting federal help; however, similar resources may not be available for other countries in the Caribbean, like Antigua and Barbuda, which has taken a brutal hit from the storm as well.
In fact, residents of Barbuda, which is one-half of sovereign country of Antigua and Barbuda, have all been evacuated after the Hurricane. Therefore, for the first time 300 years, the island is inhabited since the population of about 1700 people, were evacuated to Antigua according to CNN. According to Business Insider, the Prime Minister, Gaston Browne, reported that upward of 90 percent of the island’s structures were destroyed.
Anguilla, which is a British territory, suffered major damages as well, and military personnel arrived to assess the damages, according to Business Insider.
“In Anguilla, officials reported extensive damage to the airport, hospitals, shelters, and schools and said 90 percent of roads were impassable,” according to NY Daily Beast.
St. Martin and St. Barts also faced significant damages as a result of the Hurricane Irma. These islands, which are located east of Puerto Rico, are territories of France, with part of St. Martin being a territory of the Netherlands as well. St. Barts faced some damages, such as damages to homes and power outages but other than that no deaths were reported; however, St. Martin got hit even worse by the hurricane. According to the LA Times, about 60 percent of homes were destroyed, along with other properties, such as stores, boats, and cars; and water supplies and power were cut as well; the French government also reported that the damages are estimated to be more than 1 billion dollars. Also, a total of 14 people were killed in St. Martin, according to LA Times.
Also, in Puerto Rico, the governor reported that at least three people were killed, according to NBC News. The island also faced damages to infrastructures, such as roadways, light posts, and trees. The island had a big problem with power outages as well, with more than a million people were to be out of electricity reported by NBC News days after the storm; however, even more than a week and a half following the storm about 80, 000 people were still without power, according to the Daily Beast.
The Hurricane also managed to hit Cuba as well. Despite the country evacuating about a million people from the vulnerable areas before the storm, at least ten people were killed, according to Business Insider. Cuba faced other significant damages, with trees and buildings being ripped apart and flooding, as reported by CNN.
The other islands that were affected were Turks and Caicos, the Bahamas, Hispaniola, with these island suffering minimal damages
As mentioned by Fenton, the Hurricane Maria is on its way to hit the Caribbean, heading to Dominica, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands as well. Therefore, this Category 5 storm, can wreak havoc in the Caribbean again after Hurricane Irma did only days before.
